Here Be Dragons - 1 by Sharon Penman (best inspirational books txt) 📕

course. Come, sit beside e On the bed and I shall tell you of my first meeting with your father. Itell her, can I not, John? It is six weeks to the day; we were wed without even posting the banns! John said he knew as soon as he saw me, knew he would have me for his Queen and no other."Joanna and Richard exchanged bemused glances. Both quiet by nature, they were overwhelmed by Isabelle, who seemed able to talk without even pausing for breath. But her friendliness set their fears at rest, and Joanna gladly did asIsabelle bade, settled herself upon the foot of the bed. She should have had more faith in Papa, she thought, should have known he would not have chosen a wife who'd scorn his children.HGWYNEDD, WALESAMflMrt 1201XA.FTER passing the night at Basingwerk Abbey, Baldwin de Hodnet and his brother moved cautiously westward, keeping to the narrow coastal road. The sea was frothed with whitecaps, the sky flaming to the east in a sunburst dawn that promised a day of surpassing beauty. But Baldwin had no eye for God's wonders; he was too much taken up with man-made troubles."How do you know where he is, Stephen?""I do not. The Welsh court moves about no less frequently than John's.Llewelyn has palaces at Aber, at Aberffraw on the isle of Mon, at Caer ynArfon, has palaces and hunting lodges scattered throughout the EryriMountains.""Well, then, how shall we find him?"

132"We will not. He'll find us," Stephen said, and withdrew from hi saddle pouch a brightly painted silk banner: quartered lions passant, red on gold."Llewelyn's arms. What better way to make known that we seek him?""Clever," Baldwin said grudgingly. "But to what avail? I'm damned if I know why I let you talk me into this. We'll find no welcome at his court, Stephen.How can we? Just last month he did sign a truce with King John, did agree to do homage to John as his overlord, and, jn return, was recognized as ruler ofGwynedd. Why should he risk angering John by aiding men branded as rebels?"Stephen laughed. "You do not understand the Welsh, Baldwin. You share all the common misconceptions about Llewelyn's people. Ask any lord at John's court to describe the Welsh character, and what is he like to say? That the Welsh are impulsive, quick-tempered, easily stirred by passion. That may well be true.But it is also true that in matters of statecraft, no people in Christendom are as pragmatic as the Welsh princes. They have to be, with England more than twenty times the size of Wales. Since the reign of Owain Fawr, their princes have sworn allegiance to the English kings, because they were shrewd enough to see they had no choice. The Welsh are realists, Baldwin, and an oath of allegiance is cheaper than blood as the price of sovereignty. Do not ever think, though, that Llewelyn sees himself as a vassal of John's. He does not."Stephen grinned. "The great weakness of the Welsh has always been their penchant for fighting amongst themselves, a weakness our kings have been quick to exploit. But Llewelyn has a rare gift for fishing in troubled waters. John may well find""I'd as soon you spared me a lesson in Welsh history," Baldwin interrupted impatiently. "All that does concern me at the moment is whether we're likely to find refuge at Llewelyn's court. And you've yet to convince me that we will."Now it was Stephen who showed impatience. "We always knew it might come to this, Baldwin. When Fulk Fitz Warin rose up in rebellion against John, and we decided we could not do otherwise than support him as our kinsman and liege lord, we had no illusions about the risks, or the likely outcome. Tell me, would you rather seek exile in France?""No," Baldwin conceded. "I ought not to be taking out my foul temper on you, Little Brother. As you say, better Llewelyn than PhilipHow long has it been since you saw him last?""Three or four years, I think," Stephen said, and Baldwin let out an explosive oath."Blood of Christ! You expect him to incur John's wrath for a man he has not even seen in years?"

133Stephen was unperturbed "The Welsh make bad enemies, better , your trouble, Baldwin, is that you have so little faith'" "My trouble is that I have a price upon my head, and an mgrate of a ther set upon laying claim to my inheritance," Baldwin said sourly "What else would you expect from Walter7""Better than this Did I not persuade Fulk to give him a place in his usehold7 And when he came to me, claiming he'd had his horse and or stolen, did I not lend him the money for another mount and hauberk7""And I thought you were mad to do it, I still do As the eldest, you never knew him, Baldwin, not as Will and I did ""What else could I do, Stephen7 He's still blood km ""If he were drowning, I'd throw him an anchor," Stephen said flatly, andBaldwin gave his brother a surprised, speculative look"You truly mean that, do you not7 I did not realize" He stiffened suddenly, and then said softly, "Stephen, to your left ""I know I think we're about to be welcomed into Wales "There was a flash of movement through the trees, a lance thudded into the path a few feet ahead, quivered like a snake coiled to strike They both drew rein, waitedA man emerged from the woods, came to a wary halt Stephen tilted his lance up so that Llewelyn's banner caught the breeze "Tangnefedd, ' he said loudly 'Rydu i Stephen de Hodnet, cyfaill o Llewelyn ab lorwerth, o Tywysog Gwynedd "There was a silence, other men were now coming out of the shadows Stephen ventured a few more sentences in halting Welsh, then turned to Baldwin, smiling "Did I not tell you7 These are Llewelyn's men, will take us to him Itold them